Sayings
by Picup
Summary: Persona 3::Akihiko x Mitsuru::Major Spoilers: Ever since middle school, they always had little sayings to each other.


Disclaimer: Persona 3 is owned by Atlus... Duh.

**SPOILERS FOR EVERY THING PASSED THE OCTOBER FULL MOON.**

You have been warned.

---

For as long as they could think of, Mitsuru Kirijo and Akihiko Sanada had a few sayings to each other since middle school – when they first met and had begun shadow hunting.

_'Err… be careful, okay?'  
'You too, stay on your guard.'_

'_Heh, this is going to be easy.'  
'Sanada-san, please try not to get carried away.'_

When they were seniors, the old 'tradition' you could say, carried on a little – but they didn't do it as much, much less in front of the others.

But once there were at least a handful of people to choose from, and some were left behind with Fuuka, Akihiko had brought back the old tradition. When Mitsuru would briskly walk passed him after Minato said they were going to get going – he would briefly stop her with a soft glance, and smirk.

_'… Be careful, okay?'_

He would watch a faint smile plaster on her ruby lips, before muttering a small, i _'thank you'_ /i . 

When it would be Akihiko who was in the party, and Mitsuru had to stay behind, she would capture him by a soft, stern look, shut her eyes, and smirk.

_'… Don't get out of hand.'_

He would chuckle a little, before hurrying off to meet the others.

_'… I won't._'

This continued on for many nights of hunting in Tartarus – even after the events of the October full moon, when Shinjiro Aragaki passed away. Instead of her stern look though, even under her façade, Mitsuru showed some what of a look of concern – knowing the mindset that Akihiko would be in.

It would be her turn to say, _'… Be careful.' _

A faint smirk would show up on his face, as he just nodded. 

_'… Don't worry; I'm fighting for him too.' _

A week later after the events of the November full moon, when Ikutsuki had murdered Takeharu Kirijo – Mitsuru's father, the daughter of the deceased head of the Kirijo Company had finally returned to the Dorm.

No one said a lot to her, seeing that she was still down in the dumps. But she softly spoke with Minato, telling him that she was willing to go to Tartarus. And so, they went.

The first two runs up the treacherous tower, Mitsuru was not included for obvious reasons. She looked solemnly up at Akihiko as he was chosen to go, and gave him a silent nod, as if to say,_ ... Be careful_.

He understood the silence, and nodded, as he gave her slight thumbs up, '_I'll be fine, Junpei might be some one you want to worry about._'

Even though he couldn't see it well, there was probably the tiniest crack of a smile on her face as he left her behind.

After the Kyoto trip, after the events with Ryoji, after every one made up their decisions to fight the one who was said to be impossible to kill – Mitsuru and Akihiko never gave up their old traditions.

_'…Kick some shadows' asses.'  
_'_Akihiko, please tone down the language. I would rather not have to reprimand you like I would have to reprimand Iori.'_

He would snicker a little, as she just smirked when she walked passed him.

But there was one night, where all of this came to a halting stop.

Mitsuru, the day before hand, had caught a fever, and was officially determined sick by a residential doctor. Every one insisted she stayed in bed the next night, while they relaxed – but she wasn't going to let that happen. She insisted on them going to Tartarus and train. After all, January 31st was coming, and she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if they lost time in preparing because she was sick.

Minato respected her decision, and dragged the reluctant group down to Tartarus.

---

Mitsuru felt a whole lot better the next morning. She dressed in her usual, Sunday clothing, and went down the stairs.

She found it eerily silent, no petty argument between Junpei and Yukari, no early typing of Fuuka's laptop, no barking Koromaru – just nothing.

As she reached the final step, auburn eyes found that there was no one in the lounge, save for the exception of the small, brunette boy – who was the youngest member of SEES. He looked up, albeit startled by her clicking heels as she approached him.

She noticed the dark rings around his eyes, his eyes slightly puffy and red, and… dried tear stains that ran down his cheeks.

"K-Kirijo-san…"

His voice was cracked, and Mitsuru's looks of concerned return as he addressed her.

"Amada is there…"  
"… I-I-It's S-Sanada-san…"

_Akihiko?  
_  
"Where is Akihiko? And the rest of SEES?"  
"T-T-The h-hospital…"

_Hospital?!?_

Mitsuru's façade dropped a little, as a look of bewilderment was on her face. If they were at the hospital, did something happen the night before?

By the time Mitsuru had returned from her thoughts, Ken was in front of her – looking as if he was about to break down and cry. The boy whispered something under his breath, and Mitsuru heard the words clearly in her mind, as if it was the wind telling it to her.

The silence blanketed the two, as many thoughts were racing through Mitsuru's mind. Ken broke them, as he started out the Dorm. He said a few words to her quietly, before opening the doors, and leaving the Dorm. As the door shut quietly, Mitsuru stumbled her way to the couch where she regularly sat – drinking tea or reading her magazine.

She sat there, some what shaking, and soon enough, her hands covered her face.

_'I-It's… o-okay to cry…'_

All that was left in the silent dorm was the sobbing of one, Mitsuru Kirijo.

---

It's been five years since she's returned to the peaceful city of Iwatodoi. After they had stopped Nyx, and she graduated from Gekkoukan High School, she was moved to the busy city of Kyoto.

The Kirijo group had thought it was best for her to get a top notch education, and soon, to be married to a suitor that they had picked out themselves. She met this suitor five years ago – and much to her dismay, she reluctantly wedded him.

She stepped out of the car, where her husband turned his gaze, and stared up at the azure sky – promptly ignoring her and allowing her to do what she pleased.

With careful steps, briskly passing stone slabs, she found the one she was looking for. She knelt down, careful not her wreck her skirt, and traced the words that were engraved on the stone.

A sudden wave of nostalgia hit her, as she was reminded of the one particular day five years ago.

She found out what had happen the night the group went to Tartarus without her.

They had a run in with death – or rather, the Reaper. Minato had tried every means to escape, but the Reaper was too quick for them. It took down Junpei for one round with a garudyne, and then Aigis with a ziodyne.

That only left Minato and Akihiko who were able to defend themselves.

But, when none of their attacks worked – the Reaper pointed a shotgun at each of them, and shot.

Akihiko was hit in the shoulder, which made him cringe, but able to stand. Minato on the other hand, was taken down as the shot had clearly hit his stomach. The Reaper had approached the boy slowly, and raised its two shotguns, ready to kill Minato.

Akihiko made a leap of faith – and the shots echoed throughout Tartarus.

They nimbly escaped after the shots, and all of them tumbled out of the device that had teleported them to different parts of Tartarus.

She was told of the horror of the screams that night, and the quick rushes of diaharans.

But unfortunately, one of the diaharans didn't make it in time.

Akihiko… had _died _that night.

A forlorn smile reached her lips, as she finished tracing his name out on the tombstone. She could tell the grave was well kept, and that must've meant that his old friends (and perhaps fans) came often.

"Perhaps… I should've said something to you before you left…"

She said quietly, before standing up as she heard the crunching of grass nearby. Her auburn eyes met with the rigid figure of her husband, who purposely looked at his watch – making sure she saw him do this.

"… We have a meeting in twenty minutes, let's go."  
"… Alright…"

She watched him turn his back to her, and head back to the car. She followed a meter behind him, her arms crossed. The wind blew gently, and tossed her red curls behind her. She stopped suddenly, looking back.

She swore she just heard something.

She shook her head; it wasn't good to be psyched out before a meeting.

She stepped into the car, and the engine quietly started – before it drove away to the quiet streets of Iwatodoi.

_'… Kick some ass in there… for me.'_

---

A/N: Okay, before any one flames.

Yes, I know I suck at doing sad stuff, shush.

This was for Preseathekitsune (VGCG)'s Fan Fiction contest on DeviantArt.

And she just had to pick a sad theme.

I SUCK AT SAD THEMES.

And tenses while I'm on the subject, I'm pretty sure I screwed it up near the end because I started to get nervous... for some odd reason... blah.

Yeah, I'm going back to playing FES. reviews appreciated, thanks x)

(P.S. This idea wasn't really original, if you can tell me the origin, I'll give you a cookie x)  
...  
Don't murder me for killing Akihiko, I'm sorry -hides-)


End file.
